Another symbol of Plainview´s pioneering past might help draw visitors to the city when the developing Power of the Wind Trail is launched in the next few months in a handful of Texas and Oklahoma cities.

The project ­ started by officials in Lubbock, which is home to the largest collection of windmills in the world ­ is designed to attract tourists to see windmills along a 600-mile route. In turn, officials are hoping visitors will drop a few tourism dollars along the way by spending money on gas, food, lodging and shopping in participating cities.

“I don´t think it will be a cure for everything but I think it will bring people in, especially RV drivers,” said Brian Thomas, director of the Plainview Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Thomas has been working with John Armour of the Lubbock Convention and Visitors Bureau, who is spearheading the effort after a suggestion by a colleague.

The idea for the trail began, Armour said, because windmills played a vital role in the development of this region. He´s not expecting a flood of people to the area. Instead, he thinks people traveling near the trail´s participating cities may buy gas and food or decide to spend the night or do some shopping.

Besides Plainview and Lubbock, the only other Texas town presently on the trail could be Canyon, which is still considering participation. Cities in Oklahoma committed to the project are Elk City, Shattuck, Woodward and Norman.

All participating cities have contributed funds for the project, with Plainview kicking in $1,000 of convention and tourism money. Thomas said Lubbock and Norman contributed $5,000 apiece.

That will be used to promote the trail through advertising ­ including in a magazine devoted to windmills ­ as well as for 30,000 to 50,000 maps of where windmills are located. Compact discs are also planned for travelers to listen to in their vehicles while on their way to their destination.

Maps and CDs will be placed at welcome centers and on racks in hotels and motels throughout the region.

The trail will also be promoted through a web site that features download-ready maps and links to each destination city.

The project will be completed in three steps.

Tours to locate windmills will be done by the end of this month.

Around Plainview, Thomas said they´re mostly interested in windmills located along Interstate 27 or close to major roads.

Among the windmills in the immediate area are on the county courthouse lawn, near Parklawn Memorial Gardens on north Business I-27 and on 24th and Quincy. Another windmill is located in the Llano Estacado Museum.

No doubt a large part of the tour will be the American Wind Power Center, located at 1701 Canyon Lakes Drive in Lubbock. The center´s 120 windmills is the largest collection in the world.

With information of where windmills are located, maps will be printed by the end of April. The CD and web site should be ready by the end of May, Armour said.

“They want everything up and running by this summer,” Thomas said. “They plan to give it about a year and see where it goes.”

Although it is currently not a part of the windmill project, the city of Spearman in the Panhandle has set up a windmill park at 1101 Cotter St. Spearman is the home of the internationally famous J.B. Buchanan windmill collection.

The 2002 International Windmill Convention was held in Spearman.

Regardless of the popularity of the Power of the Wind Trail, Thomas thinks the project has already been a success because it included first-of-its-kind cooperation between numerous cities. And that might lead to more cooperative projects in the future.

“I was very excited (about the project) because it was a cooperative marketing effort for the entire area,” Thomas said. “I´ve always said Plainview needs to be working with Lubbock and Amarillo and Canyon, working together and promoting the whole region.”

(Kevin Lewis can be reached at 806-296-1360 or kevin@plainviewdailyherald.com.)

Posted to MyPlainview:   JANUARY 14, 2004 13:04 CST